Alert actuation device for body alignment

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a training device for attaining proper body alignment for jumps. The device comprises footwear (for example, a skate) and an ankle wrap. The ankle wrap may be a permanent part of the skate or may be releasably attached to the skate. The ankle wrap is constructed of neoprene and comprises a repositionable holder, an instep strap, a hook and loop two-part fastening system, and two lateral portions. The repositionable holder has a hook and loop two-part fastening system and a mesh pocket that holds a sound box. When the jumper achieves proper ankle contact, a sound is emitted from the sound box. Such sounding alerts the jumper that proper body alignment was achieved.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to training devices for figure skating.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A figure skater's rate of rotation during a jump significantly increaseswhen proper ankle contact is achieved. In order to achieve proper anklecontact, the skater must employ efficient body alignment during thejump. However, during such jumps, due to the rapid rotation of theskater's body (as well as other dynamics of a jump), it is extremelydifficult for the skater be sufficiently aware of his or her bodyalignment. Consequently, there is a need for a device to assist a skaterin his or her body alignment awareness. A search of the prior art showsthat no such device is known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a devicethat can be used by a figure skater to attain proper body alignmentduring jumps. More particularly, it is an objective of the presentinvention to provide a device (an ankle wrap) that attaches to a skatein order to assist a skater in attaining proper body alignment during ajump.

Computer software was used to evaluate, in great detail, the mostefficient body alignment for a skater during triple and quadruple jumps.The gathered data assisted the development of the present invention. Thedata was used to formulate a table showing airtime, rotation rate, andbody position needed to complete skating jumps.

The present invention was developed experimentally. A variety ofmaterials were tried in conjunction with a skate. The materials wereplaced over the outside anklebone of the skater's landing foot where theoptimal ankle contact must occur. Some of the difficulties encounteredwere finding a way to secure the invention to a skate (providing safeand accurate placement), developing a sound box that had adequate volumeand duration of sound, and creating a device that was sufficientlydurable.

To address the aforementioned difficulties and other concerns, the anklewrap is comprised of neoprene, Velcro, elastic, and mesh. Neopreneprovides sufficient durability for the ankle wrap. The Velcro is used tosafely secure the ankle warp to the skate on the landing foot of theskater jumper). A Velcro and mesh pocket is positioned over the outsideanklebone of the skater. Inside the mesh pocket is a pressure-sensitivesound box that emits a prerecorded sound, alerting the skater and thecoach when proper ankle contact has been achieved. The mesh allows forthe emitted sound to be easily heard. If the skater (jumper) makes footcontact, but not proper ankle contact, there is no sound emitted fromthe sound box. Thus, the skater is alerted that proper alignment was notachieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention aredescribed in detail below with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an ankle wrap, in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the repositionable actuation mechanism holder.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of a skate bearing the ankle wrap ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a skate bearing the ankle wrap ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of the alert actuation device inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a lower perspective view of the alert actuation device.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the repositionable holder for the alertactuation device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the ankle wrap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, an ankle wrap 10 for an ankle having asubstantially arcuate shape such that it forms a crescent shape.Throughout this disclosure, a hook and loop two-part fastening system isdiscussed. Velcro, where the scratchy part is the “hook” and the softside is the “loop”, illustrates such a system. In the preferredembodiment, the ankle wrap 10 is constructed of neoprene with the softloop side of the two-part fastening system on the first lateral portion11A and the hook part on the second lateral portion 11B of the two-partfastening system secures to first lateral portion 11A. The two-partfastening system may include buckles, clips, snaps, buttons, or thelike.

An instep strap 12 secures to one of the lateral portions 11A, 11B nearthe boundary between the first and second lateral portions. The free endof the instep strap 12 bears a first part 13, consisting of the hookpart of a hook and loop fastening system. In the illustrated embodiment,the first part 13, of the hook and loop fastening system secures to alower surface of the first lateral portion 11A. The instep strap 12secures to the first lateral portion 11A and the second part 11A. Theinstep strap 12 may be elastic.

Referring to FIG. 2, a repositionable holder 14 secures to the uppersurface of the first lateral portion 11A. In the illustrated embodiment,the repositionable pocket 14 secures to anywhere on the first lateralportion 11A that the wearer desires. The repositionable holder 14 iscomprised of elastic, Velcro (hooks and loop), mesh, and neoprene. Therepositionable holder 14 is designed to hold a sound producing device 17as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 inside a mesh pocket 15 that has the outwardfacing portion 21 comprised of the loop of a two-part fastening system.

The sound-producing device 17 is secured in the mesh pocket 15 with ahooks tab 20 of a two-part fastening system. The mesh pocket 15 has ahook and loop fastening system at the top 15B to ensure containment ofthe sound-producing device 17. The reverse side of the repositionableholder 14 has a hook fastening system 22 as part of a two-part fasteningsystem. This hook portion 22 secures the repositionable holder 14 to theankle warp. On each end of the elastic of the repositionable holder 14is a hook and loop fastening system. The ends 16A and 16B of therepositionable holder secure around the ankle wrap 10.

The repositionable holder 14 receives a sound-producing device 17 havinga button or like structure that causes the sound-producing device 17 toproduce sound when contacted. In the preferred embodiment, the meshpocket 15 is formed of mesh material such that the sound-producingdevice 17 is audible. The mesh pocket 15 is slightly larger than thesound-producing device 17, such that the position of the position of thesound-producing device within the mesh pocket is adjustable. Inasmuch asskates are of varying sizes, it is advantageous to adjust the positionof the sound-producing device 17 within the pocket to position thesound-producing device 17 properly with respect to the skater's feet.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the ankle wrap 10 secures to a skate 18 suchthat the instep strap 12 extends beneath the instep of the skate 18. Thefree end of the instep strap 12 secures to the lateral portion 11A bymeans of the two-part fastening system 13 11A. The ends of the lateralportions 11A extend around the skate 18 and secure to one another nearthe heel of the skate 18 by means of a two-part fastening system 11A and11B. The central portion of the ankle wrap 10 at the junction of thelateral portions 11A is positioned over the arch of the skate having therepositionable holder 14 off-set to one side of the skate 18.

Referring to FIG. 5, the sound-producing device 17 includes a buttoncontrolling a speaker 19. When the button 23 is depressed, the speaker19 emits a sound. The sound-producing device 17 contains a battery andcircuits known in the art for producing electrical signals driving aspeaker 19.

Referring to FIG. 6, a fastener 20 such as the hook part of a hook andloop two-part fastening system secures to a rear surface of thesound-producing device 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastener21 is part of a hook and loop fastening system extending across theentire area covered by the mesh pocket 15.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described,various alternative embodiments of the invention are possible withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, thelateral portions of the ankle wrap may form a loop that is permanentover the skate before the user inserts the foot into the skate (i.e.,the ankle wrap may be permanently attached to the skate). In addition,the invention is not limited to skates, but contemplates all kinds offootwear, including, but not limited to, shoes and boots. Accordingly,the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of thepreferred embodiment.

1. A training device for achieving proper body alignment during jumps,comprising: footwear; an ankle wrap attached to the footwear; and asound-producing device; wherein the sound-producing device is comprisedof a button, a speaker, a power supply, and an electrical circuit. 2.The training device of claim 1 wherein the footwear is a skate or shoe.3. The training device of claim 1 wherein the ankle wrap is constructedof neoprene.
 4. The training device of claim 1 wherein the ankle wrapcomprises a repositionable holder, an instep strap, a hook and looptwo-part fastening system, and two lateral portions.
 5. The trainingdevice of claim 4 wherein the ankle wrap is releasably attached to thefootwear.
 6. The training device of claim 4 wherein the hook and looptwo-part fastening system encompasses both lateral portions.
 7. Thetraining device of claim 4 wherein the instep strap is elastic.
 8. Thetraining device of claim 4 wherein the repositionable holder comprises ahook and loop two-part fastening system and a pocket.
 9. The trainingdevice of claim 8 wherein the pocket is made of mesh.
 10. The trainingdevice according to claim 8 wherein the sound-producing device issecured within the pocket.
 11. The training device according to claim 10wherein the position of the sound producing-device is adjustable withinthe pocket.
 12. The training device of claim 11 wherein the pocket islarger than the sound-producing device.
 13. A training device forachieving proper body alignment during jumps, comprising: arepositionable holder; an instep strap; a hook and loop two-partfastening system; and two lateral portions.
 14. The training device ofclaim 13 wherein the hook and loop two-part fastening system encompassesboth lateral portions.
 15. The training device of claim 14 wherein therepositionable holder comprises a hook and loop two-part fasteningsystem, a pocket, and a sound-producing device.
 16. The training deviceaccording to claim 15 wherein the sound-producing device is securedwithin the pocket.
 17. The training device of claim 16 wherein thepocket is larger than the sound-producing device.
 18. The trainingdevice according to claim 17 wherein the position of the soundproducing-device is adjustable within the pocket.
 19. The trainingdevice of claim 18 wherein the pocket is made of mesh.
 20. A method ofachieving proper body alignment during ice-skating jumps, the methodcomprising the steps of: putting on ice skates; attaching an ankle wrapto the ice skate on the landing foot of the skater; ice-skating; jumpingwhile simultaneously rotating; positioning ankle and feet such thatoptimal ankle contact is achieved; and causing a sound to be emitted asa result of the ankle contact; wherein the ankle wrap comprises arepositionable holder, an instep strap, a hook and loop two-partfastening system; and two lateral portions.